The Winning Horse
by klainexsamcedes
Summary: Sam Evans, is recently hired to be a Ranch Hand, but knows nothing about horses. When he meets Mercedes Jones, the daughter, of the rancher who hired him, he's instantly fallen for her, but how will he get her to be his girlfriend? That's easy...learn how to ride the winning horse. Sounds easy doesn't it?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer...okay, this is my first try at fan-fiction, and honestly, I have no idea how this idea came about, or if it will even work. I don't own Glee.

Also, if anyone does read this, reviews would be lovely. They help me write faster.

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Sam Evans, ran his fingers through his golden blond hair, so it could appear as though he had taken time to brush it, as he ran out to his hand me down 1993 red Dodge Ram 150. He was running late to work, and he was sure that the one that hired him, was going to murder him, if he didn't get his backside in gear, and get going, as he remembered what Harris Jones had told him, about the horses won't wait, and neither will I.

He also remembered that the ranch was out in the middle of nowhere, and didn't get cellphone service, so it would be pointless to try to call. Another mile down. One mile to go.

Sam thought for sure that he was fired, and he didn't even have a chance to do anything, as he pulled into the dirt driveway of the ranch, and parked the truck, and turned it off, before he got out of the truck, and headed towards the building. That was also when he noticed a teenage girl, probably, around his age of nineteen. He also noticed that he had blond hair like himself, and brown eyes. She was beautiful, but he thought to himself that she already had a girlfriend.

"You must be the new stable hand," she asked in a guessing tone, and smiled at him. "I'm Quinn," she added and winked at him.

"I'm Sam," Sam told her, as he wondered what he had gotten himself into. If he had to work with her, it was going to be a hell of a summer.

"Let me go get Harris, I'll be right back," Quinn told Sam with another smile, and headed towards the house, as he waited outside. Sam thought to himself, that he liked her, and knew that she definitely had a boyfriend, if she didn't, he'd be shocked.

Then he heard something going on the only barn, that he could see, and wondered if he should check it out. Horses were neighing, and he swore that he heard a females voice as well. Okay, so they seemed to have another girl working here, but Sam wasn't sure. Just when he was about to head to the barn, and check out the commotion, Harris, as well as Quinn came back out.

"Quinn, why don't you go and help Noah work some more on Puddlejumper? Make sure that Noah doesn't try to run him through the show course, he's not ready for show yet," Harris told Quinn instructively, as Sam had wondered what that had meant, and wished that he had more experience in the horse universe.

"Sam, I'm Harris Jones. I'm the owner here, and I am also your boss. You wake up, exactly at four fifteen in the morning, not a minute late. The horses get fed, and watered first thing in the morning. The stable hands, meaning, you and Noah, don't come in the house, unless, otherwise told to do, and you two share that small apartment up there," Harris told Sam, as Harris's chocolate brown eyes, met Sam's green eyes.

"Do you understand?" Harris asked Sam, in a voice, that said he had better understand, or else. Sam nodded.

"Good. Now let me show you around," Harris told Sam, as Sam heard the ruckus in the barn, start up again. Something was obviously wrong, and wanted to say something about it, just as he was about to, it had appeared they were walking in the direction of the the barn, anyhow. Maybe, Harris, was about to help with the situation.

That was when he had noticed the girl. The voice, in which, he had thought he had heard earlier. Okay, sure, the girl was a bit curly, but she was gorgeous. She looked a little bit older than he had, maybe, a year or two, but he was nineteen, so he was legal. He hoped anyways. Sam had also hoped that he would be able to work with her soon. Maybe, now, even.

"Mercedes, what is going on here?" Harris asked the girl. Sam now knew her name. That was good.

"Dagnir won't control his damned temper," she protested, as she showed that she wouldn't give up, on the horse.

"The horse is testing you. Show the horse, that he can still be himself, but show him you're relaxed," Sam spoke up, not sure where he had come from, especially, since he knew next to nothing about horses.

"Alright, White Chocolate, if you're so smart, why don't you try it?" Mercedes challenged, as showed her inner diva, and Sam had wondered why she was even here, but still wanted to know her more.

"It's easy. A horse reads emotions, but if they came from a troubled past, they may be the problem. Do you know anything about this horse?" Sam inquired, as he stood in front of the horse, not wanting to touch the horse, just in case.

"For unknown reasons, the previous owner, gave him up, and just left him here. No note. No nothing," Harris spoke up. Until that moment, Mercedes, and Sam had both forgotten he was there. Sam couldn't figure it out. Then again, he figured if he was a horse, who had been abandoned, and in a trailer for who knows how long, he'd be in the same situation. He felt bad for the Dark Coat. He also decided not to make any eye contact.

"Has he been outside, around any of the other horses, at all, since he arrived here?" Sam questioned, and wondered to himself, where all of this was coming from.

"No. Because, we don't know what he would be like around them," Mercedes answered, as though, it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Well, why not try it out. That might be his problem. He's been inside all this time, he wants some air. Something new to see, aside the horses that come in and out all day," Sam spoke up, and smiled quickly at Mercedes. "I'll lead him outside, if you'd like," Sam offered, as he turned around, and spotted the area where the harnesses, and all the other horses materials were placed.

"I got it," Mercedes answered sweetly, as it seemed that both, her and and Dagnir had calmed down. Maybe, this would work for Sam after all, even, with not knowing much about horses.

"Sam, the oats, are over here in this box, and the hay, is over there in the corner. Don't be alarmed, if some of it is gone. Now and then, the horses will freely come over, and eat it at their own free will," Harris told Sam.

"Is there anything I could do?" Sam asks with a smile.

"Yeah, help me unload the truck," Harris told him, as they headed out of the barn, and headed towards Harris's truck.

"Dagnir, he's a show jumper, isn't he?" Sam asks Harris wondering. In Sam's head, he wanted to ride the horse, and he would, if he could. He just wasn't going to ask, anytime soon. Harris, seemed to be the type that would chew his head off, if he tried to ask.

"I don't know. He doesn't seem it," Harris, told Sam, in honesty.

"Do you think, I could try to train him. There's a jumping show coming up in a month, if that doesn't work, then I noticed the race track," Sam tried, not giving up. He was determined to ride, even, if it killed him.

"Sam, you're here to work, and not play. You're not even a trainer," Harris told him, as he lowered that tailgate to his truck, so they could unload the hay and feed.

"Yes, sir. I still think I could get him to be a winning horse," Sam tried, as he grabbed some of the hay, and they headed back to the barn. Sam, in was hoping that Harris would change his mind.

"The answer is no, Sam," Harris told him again. "I don't change my mind. That includes answers for my daughters," he added.

As they were about finished, a jeep came racing into the dirt driveway. A teenage crowd, soon to be college freshman, at the most.

"Mercedes! Quinn! Noah! It's fucking party time!" shouted one of the over excited teenagers in the car. Sam, doubted that he'd go, so he didn't even bother asking. He wasn't the party person, anyways. Not even in high school. A few minutes later, the three of them had gotten in the jeep.

"Be back by midnight!" Harris yelled to them, as they got in the jeep, and a couple of seconds later, the jeep pulled away.

Sam had double thought it. Maybe he would go as well. Live a little. Maybe, even get a chance to talk to Mercedes.

"Where do you think you're going?" Harris asked Sam, as he was about to head to this truck.

"To a party," Sam answered him back, as though, it were obvious.

"To hell you are, we still have stuff unfinished," Harris, told him, in a over protective fatherly way. Maybe it was out of habit.

Sam, didn't listen, and got in his truck, and started it up.

"You leave this driveway, you don't come back," Harris, hollered over to him, as Harris stood on the porch.

That was the last thing Sam heard, before the radio got turned up, and he drove away towards the party, just hoping, that well. He didn't know what he was hoping.


	2. Chapter 2

It just showed up that I have four reviews! Anyhow, thank you everyone who has reviewed, I really appreciate it.

Disclaimer: yeah, yeah, by now, everyone knows that I don't own Glee. If I did, Samcedes would be endgame!  
Also, I want to throw it out there, that I'm Googling horse care tips to help me with this story. I'm not really satisfied with this chapter, but reviews would be awesome just the same.

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Chapter 2

When Sam had arrived to the house that was hosting the party, the music was blaring, teenagers had already appeared drunk on the front porch. The smell of alcohol was think, and so was the teenage angst. He had also noticed that no one had asked where he had come from, or if he had been invited, so he assumed that he wasn't crashing the party, which was good. That inspiration lasted until he ran into Quinn. Well, Quinn ran into him rather.

"Sam, you're here. I was hoping you'd show up," she told him, giving it away that she was drunk, and Noah, was nowhere to be seen, which, Sam had probably guessed wasn't a good thing. He hadn't even talked to Noah yet, but he assumed that Noah was her boyfriend. If not, well, Sam had hoped that she wouldn't request that he kiss her.

"Quinn, we need to get you home. You're drunk," Sam pleaded with her, as scanned the room for either Mercedes, or Noah, but preferably Noah.

"Sam, I'm fine. Besides, you're just the ranch hand, and know nothing about me!" she protested. Sam didn't bother to correct her, being as, he was probably fired.

"I know two things, one, you're drunk, and two, Noah is your boyfriend. Come on, I'll give you a lift back home, and you can sleep it off, though, I can't say that you won't have a headache tomorrow," Sam tried. He just hoped that she wouldn't ask how he knew about that. He didn't want to say that's part of the reason as to why he was working at the ranch anyways. Well, that wasn't true, but still. The bad boy idea sounded good for the few seconds that it clicked in his head.

That was when Mercedes decided to show up.

"What's going on here?" Mercedes asked innocently, showing that she was sober. Sam had guessed that was a good thing, and smiled at her briefly, and then turned her attention back to Quinn. Man, her father would be so pissed tomorrow, and Noah, wouldn't help. Where was he anyways.

"Mercedes, listen to me, Quinn is drunk, if that isn't obvious. We need to get her home," Sam told her instructively.

"Sam, we need to find Noah, and we all need to get the hell home. We have to work tomorrow. It was stupid of us to come," Mercedes told him, as there eyes met, and they supported Quinn together, and decided to walk her out to his truck together.

"What the fuck you doing with my girl?" Noah burst out of nowhere, as the approached the truck, and Mercedes had opened the door, leaving Sam, behind her, as he got ready to go back, and look for Noah.

"We're taking her home. She's drunk, and needs to work tomorrow," Sam pointed out. That was when Noah went for the swing, and ended up punching him in the left rib. Sam was going to feel the affect tonight, and tomorrow.

"The night isn't over yet!" Puck protested, and ended up punching Sam in the jaw. That was when Sam decided to fight back, and was also when the other party goers decided to watch, as though, it had been what they had come for in the first place.

"Sam! Noah! Stop it!" Mercedes yelled at them, but it did no good.

"Fine! I'll drive Quinn home, and you two can walk, and work out your problems. We have to work tomorrow. Well, I do. I don't know about you two," she added, showing how pissed off she was about this.

As the fight went back, and forth, and Sam had a bloody lip, he had one last option, if he could do it, and he knew he could. Kick Noah in the groin.

"You, asshole!" is all Noah could muster after the kick, as he showed he was in pain, as Sam had sort of intended. Sam had just hoped that Noah wouldn't hold it against him later, if he still had his job left.

The drive home had been awkward, as the two girls were in front with Sam, and had remained silent. They finally reached the ranch, where, Harrison had been unexpectedly outside on the porch, as though, he had expected this.

"Mr. Jones, I can explain," Sam began, as he got out of the truck, but left the driver side door open.

"I don't want to hear it, Mr. Evans," Harrison protested, as he spotted the two girls, and headed towards the house. Quinn, trying her best, not to show that she's drunk, but as bosses instinct kicked in, Harrison had noticed.

"Mercedes, take Quinn, and put her straight to bed. I'll have a talk with her later," Harrison stated, and Mercedes listened, and Sam watched, as she led Quinn up the steps, and onto the porch, and then into the house.

"Noah, I suggest, you do the same. You start first thing tomorrow morning, cleaning up the horse shit, and Mr. Evans, though, he was stupid enough to come back, and for whatever reason, I'm damn glad that he did, will help you," Harrison told Noah, in which, Noah didn't look too happy about. Maybe, because, he didn't get his own way.

"Thank you, sir," Sam told Harrison in a delighted voice that had the tone of "_thank you for not firing me_" and he shut the door to his truck.

"Yeah, four fifteen tomorrow, we'll see," Harrison told him, as he turned and headed inside the house.

Being, as Sam, wasn't ready to face Noah yet, he decided to poke around the barn, a little bit. That was when he noticed a door, in which, looked like it hadn't been opened for a while, and being, as he was curious, he turned the knob, and found it wasn't locked. So maybe, it had been used recently, but no one remembered it, so he entered.

The room was a little dusty, but it was good enough to see what was in there.

Pictures of prize winning horses. Pictures of Mercedes when she was a little girl on horse back. Horse training books. Trophies from races, and shows. One trophy really stuck out. It had been a young man, about his age. He had guessed it was Harrison, but he couldn't be sure. All he knew was that the horse was a Derby winner, and that was when Sam decided, that for once, he was serious about this.

He was going to ride a horse, even if it killed him. He wanted to join the pictures. He wanted to show that he could be interested in horses. Then he looked at his watch. Twelve thirty. Sam didn't even bothering climbing those stairs, but instead, decided to head in the direction of the hay, and and found the only open area next to it was a stall with the name Lego House, but because, he was so tired, he decided to end up there anyways.

The next morning, Sam had awoken, to the feel of cold water on his face.

"Four fifteen, which means, you and I begin our day together, by cleaning up last nights horse manure," Puck told him, in a tone, which had told him that he didn't want him there. At all.

"Look, about last night, I'm sorry. I could have announced that you were drunk, but I didn't. Besides, you fight pretty hard," Sam told him, as he went in the area that the working tools were at, and grabbed a rake.

"Yeah, whatever. You may want to change your sneakers, you'll be covered in horse manure before noon time," Puck told Sam, coldly, as he walked over, and started to clean up one of the stalls.

"These shoes, I could care less about, besides, I need new ones anyways," Sam pointed out, as he started to help Puck.

"Go clean out that one. I'll work my way back," Puck coldly told him, making it clear that he didn't want to talk about last night.

"So, you have a thing for Cedes?" Puck asks, changing the subject, as he placed his first set of manure into the wheelbarrow.

"What?" Sam asked, trying to sound confused, though, he was only half awake, and still trying to fight off the sleep he had.

"I saw the way you looked at her," Puck tried again, as he continued to work on his part of the barn.

"Dude, you're imagining things," Sam tried to deny it. Again.

"Fine, deny it all you want, but I can tell it's there," Puck tried, as he stopped to lean on his rake for a moment, and Sam, thought that Noah couldn't be that tired already. Then again, he guessed, that he could be.

"Alright. Whatever. Fine, yes, I like her," Sam blurted out, as he stopped to put his hair in a ponytail, and made a mental note to get that cut when he could, as well, as but new shoes, and work boots next time he was in town, which would be soon. He had hoped anyways.

"Well, that's good to know. I guess, Noah, and I will have to work, to make you two an item, now won't we?" they both heard Quinn, as she appeared in the barn, and quickly disappeared.

"Oh God. Please Noah. She can't find out," Sam pleaded, as he looked at Noah, and hoped that it wasn't too late.


End file.
